John Virando, Richmond Hill and Callander Potteries

Former Briglin potter, at Richmond Hill from 1968 until 1975 when he moved to Callander in Perthshire. Big straight-sided mug,  13cm tall, with  a bold four-petalled flower design in black on each side. Painted mark "J.V. Callander".

1956 Pathé film of John Virando and Philip Roberts making clay animals at the Cleveland Pottery (about which I can find nothing more) in  Soho.

thanks for that, I have owned an absolutely wonderful pig for many years and I now know who made him

An owl pomander (still scented after all these years!). but signed JV?






I had posted this in the Briglin thread, but 22 says later.

Yes DD these are the very Briglinesque animals that he continued to make after leaving. They are relativity common and pop up often. I was wondering if Dan's pig was unusual.

I spotted one of these pigs being decorated right at the end of the 1956 Pathé film of John Virando and Philip Roberts making clay animals

The woman who sold him to me had spent many years trying to find out who made him but she didn't have our forum to help her

I have seen the Briglin version on Crawford Street's website

He was a senior potter so he could have made the basic shape in his sleep. He's added some flourishes to the form but it's the glazes that I find unusual. Unusual TY

the glazes look far better than in my pics

Looks like Eric Leaper colours.

no, they are completely different pigments

Well I've not seen anything in those colours before

the seller asks about him every time I see her, she even asked if I would sell him back to her

lol here are my elephants. JV underneath

dantheman wrote:



I spotted one of these pigs being decorated right at the end of the 1956 Pathé film of John Virando and Philip Roberts making clay animals

The woman who sold him to me had spent many years trying to find out who made him but she didn't have our forum to help her

Thought we would figure this one out eventually :D

Hi there
This is my first time posting and so I hope I’m doing it correctly. The base of this bird is marked J.V Richmond Hill and so it must have been made by John Virando? Intrigued though, because it doesn’t resemble anything else by him that I have seen. I’d be grateful for your thoughts! Thank you.

Yes, it’s by John Virando. Like many potters, he made a few birds and animals for sale to children who came to visit the pottery. Some were better made than others

Reminiscent of some unusual Briglin birds I've seen. Did JV make the Biglin birds whilst at Briglin then this when he left? Seems probable.

Thank you both.

This is my John Virando bowl. What do you think?